January 15-21, 2011 - Original Health Articles

Your Nontoxic Cleanser Options

It's true there's no place home, especially when it comes to indoor pollution. Many of the products we use on a daily or weekly basis contain dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals, some of which are linked to increased risk of cancer. For example, one study found that women who reported the highest use of certain household products had a significantly higher risk for breast cancer.

How to Use Food to Fight a Cold

Eating the right foods can help prevent a cold or, at the very least, help you feel better and get well quickly. More than 500 million cases of the common cold and similar non-flu respiratory infections are reported every year in the United States and, in fact, the rhinovirus that causes colds is the most common infectious disease in humans worldwide.

Reduce Inflammation for Heart Health

Several recent studies show a correlation between inflammation in the body and coronary artery disease. According to the American Heart Association, research findings suggest that inflammation—an immune system response that produces heat, swelling, and redness—plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, a process in which fatty deposits build up in the inner lining of the arteries, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.

How to Help at a Loved One's Doctor's Appointment

As your parents get older, they will probably be spending more time with doctors. And while they may insist that they're perfectly independent and able to get themselves to and from appointments, you should consider accompanying them, at least some of the time.

Foods That Aid in Digestion

According to the National Digestive Information Clearinghouse, between 60 million and 70 million people are affected by digestive disorders, which include everything from the occasional upset stomach to more serious conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome and life-threatening colorectal cancer.

The Sandwich Generation: Balancing Your Kids and Parents

See what people are saying about this article on our Facebook page! Does a typical day for you include work, shepherding children to activities, overseeing homework, and taking your parents to the doctor? You're part of the so-called sandwich generation, "sandwiched" as you are between the responsibilities of kids and elderly relatives.

How to Help a Loved One Through a Traumatic Time

If a friend or relative has gone through a tough situation recently, you may be wondering what you can do to help. Can anything you say or do really make a difference? Yes, if you take the time to understand the different ways in which people react to trauma.

How to Eat Enough While on Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy alters the smell and taste of some foods, making the idea of eating very unappealing. You may have trouble swallowing, especially if you have cancers of the head and neck. Chemotherapy side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation also make it tough to eat.

What to Do About the Body Blues

Millions of women are undiagnosed with an extremely common mood disorder, called the Body Blues. Instead of showing up as sadness or depression, Body Blues shows up as weight gain, fatigue, and a low sex drive (among other symptoms).  What's going...

Does Chronic Nasal Congestion Worsen Asthma?

Think that your chronic nasal congestion is all in your head? Well, it may also be in your chest. According to the latest research findings, there is a strong link between rhinitis and severe asthma, particularly in those who suffer from a range of respiratory symptoms.

Sports Concussion Risks for Girls and Boys

All sports have injury risks but contact sports are the riskiest, especially football, soccer, basketball, and hockey. With 7.2 million male and female high school athletes, ER visits for concussions have more than doubled from 1997 to 2007. Big Deal or Minor Head Injury? According to Mark Halstead, MD, a pediatric sports injury specialist and assistant professor or pediatrics and orthopedics at Washington University in St.

10 Biggest Workout Wreckers

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), ten big mistakes many people make while exercising at the gym can wreck their workout and lead to injury and pain. These workout wreckers are easy to make, but even easier to avoid. Not stretching enough.

Add "Nature's Wonder Food" to Your Life

Legumes, or beans, may just be nature's wonder food. Loaded with protein and fiber, they deliver a hefty dose of nutrition at a cheap price. They're versatile—you can boil, stew, puree, roast, or pan-fry them—and for people who choose to or need to avoid animal products, they can be a great entrée alternative.

How to Spot and Treat a Low Blood Sugar Reaction

You know firsthand what it feels like when your blood sugar drops too low. Everyone experiences hypoglycemia a little differently, but chances are that you feel shaky, hungry, cranky, and sweaty. While you recognize the condition in yourself, it is also important for a few trusted individuals—a dear friend, family members, even a co-worker—to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia and how to help you when it occurs.

How to Deal with Arthritis During Winter

Many people aren't fans of winter. But if you have arthritis, it can be particularly difficult to navigate the season comfortably and safely. Some studies show that arthritis pain worsens in cold weather, something to which anyone who has woken up stiff and sore in advance of a big snowstorm can relate.

5 Tips for Managing Your Bipolar Triggers

Bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating extremes in mood, energy, activity levels, and ability to function day-to-day. Living with this disease can leave you feeling helpless at times. While bipolar disorder is not curable, it is treatable and manageable.

Avoid the Mark of Tattoo, Body Piercing, and Cosmetic Allergies

Love the look of tattoos and body piercings? While these forms of body art are great for expressing individuality, for some people they can trigger allergy symptoms. And many cosmetic products can also cause similar problems. That is why you should proceed with caution when exploring any of these options.

Key to Better Balance in Elderly: Move to the Music

Elderly people are often unsteady on their feet and prone to falls, which can lead to serious complications. But a practice called eurhythmics, originally designed for students by the noted Swiss composer Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, may give them better balance and help them maintain their health.

Breast Reconstruction

Today, if you have breast cancer, you can often elect to have surgery that spares much of the breast tissue. If you must have, or choose to have, a total mastectomy, you then have the option to undergo breast reconstruction. Breast reconstruction uses tissue or implants to rebuild a normal breast shape so both breasts look balanced when you are wearing a bra.

When Your Cell Phone Causes Allergies

When talking on your cell phone for long periods of time, do you find that your cheek and ear seem to be irritated or blistered afterward? If this sounds familiar, it's not a coincidence. Many cell phones contain nickel, which is a common allergy trigger.

Your Family's Health: Make a New Start

This year, instead of the usual (work out more; eat less), consider what you can do to make your family healthier and happier. Pediatrician Ari Brown, MD, says the new year is an ideal time to take a step back and evaluate where your family is going.

Bronchial Thermoplasty for Asthma Control

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12 Fixes for a So-So Sex Life

A lagging sex life doesn't have to be a chronic, incurable condition. Whether you've been married for a long time and have kids together, or you're a busy, stressed-out single with no time for sex, there are effective (and fun) strategies to help to rekindle the romance and add some sparkle to your sex life.

Is Marriage Becoming Obsolete?

First comes love, then comes marriage?&nbsp; These days, one doesn't necessarily follow the other. Some 39 percent of Americans now say marriage is becoming obsolete, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. That's quite a drastic drop from 1978, when 28 percent of Americans felt that way.

10 Tell-Tale Signs of a Pinched Nerve

Nerves run through the body like wires in a power grid.&nbsp; They're responsible for making all the body's cells communicate with each other and work as a team.&nbsp; Most of the time, they're protected from harm by bones and muscles, but sometimes, they get injured, trapped or pinched.

Work Considerations and Fibro: What You Need to Think About

Managing fibromyalgia symptoms like pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression can feel like a full-time job. For some fibromyalgia patients however, their job is their saving grace, because it gives them something to focus on other than their symptoms.

Overlooked Antidepressant Risks for Seniors

The older we get, the more likely we are to develop serious health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. About 25 percent of older adults with such chronic illnesses also suffer from depression. As a result, adults 65 and older may take five or more medications at any time.

Could You Have Selective Eating Disorder?

It's the rare child who doesn't turn up his nose at certain foods, or who goes through stages of eating only a limited number of foods. While most picky eaters outgrow this behavior, some children carry it into adulthood. Mental health experts are beginning to recognize picky eating as a serious eating disorder.

Confusion over Carbonation: Get the Truth about Fizzy Drinks

Drinking soda and other carbonated beverages (think: beer, champagne) can take a toll on your tummy and your teeth, but only if you overdo it. When research statistics showed that American teenage girls were short on calcium, scientists looked at their eating habits and found out (surprise!) that teens drink a lot of soda and other carbonated beverages and not enough calcium-rich milk.

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